Lyor Cohen confirms more integration planned for Google Play and YouTube music apps

So, you all remember that Google has a streaming music service, right? Of course you do. But no, I don’t mean YouTube. I mean the Google Play streaming music service. Oh yeah, Google Play has a streaming music service!

YouTube music chief Lyon Cohen has seemingly confirmed plans at Google to bring together the web giant’s two music offers – the Google Play service and YouTube’s music app – while speaking at the New Music Seminar conference in New York.

According to The Verge, Cohen talked about aligning the music elements of Google Play and YouTube after being asked why the latter’s subscription service Red isn’t more popular with music fans. “The important thing is combining YouTube Red and Google Play Music, and having one offering”, he said.

YouTube Red subscribers already get access to Google Play Music as part of their subscription, though the tie-up is somewhat confusing, and all the more so because of the standalone YouTube Music app that is available in some markets.

There has been chatter for some time about the two Google music services being better integrated, and that was further fuelled when the web firm combined its Google Play and YouTube music teams earlier this year. Cohen’s comments seem to confirm such product integration is now underway, but it’s still not clear whether that will actually involve abandoning one of the brands or apps down the line.

Following Cohen’s remarks, Google seemed most concerned about telling everyone that, whatever happens, it’s not going to happen overnight. It told The Verge: “Music is very important to Google and we’re evaluating how to bring together our music offerings to deliver the best possible product for our users, music partners and artists. Nothing will change for users today and we’ll provide plenty of notice before any changes are made”.